WGL TravelGuided tours for experienced travelers
Our guide's personal favorites

Nine experiences he never skips

Hawai‘i rewards a slower pace, so we build tours around a few islands rather than rushing through all of them. These are the moments our guide recommends from years of visits: some easygoing, a few for the adventurous. Every one is optional, and there's always a relaxing alternative.

Aerial view of the white USS Arizona Memorial spanning the sunken battleship in Pearl Harbor
  • O‘ahu
  • Accessible boat & paths
  • Guide's pick

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

A moving, unforgettable morning. A short Navy-operated boat ride carries you to the USS Arizona Memorial, which rests above the battleship where more than 1,100 crew members were lost on December 7, 1941. Nearby, the Battleship Missouri, where World War II formally ended, and the Pacific Aviation Museum complete the story.

Guide's tip: Timed tickets to the Arizona Memorial go fast, so we reserve well ahead. Bags aren't allowed at the memorial; bring only a wallet, phone and camera. For many of our travelers, this is the most meaningful day of the trip.

A smiling hula dancer performing at an outdoor lū‘au
  • Every island
  • Seated evening
  • Guide's pick

A traditional lū‘au with a pig roast

Watch the kālua pig lifted from the imu, a traditional underground oven where it has roasted all day. Then enjoy a feast of island dishes, music and hula under the sunset. It's Hawai‘i's warmest welcome.

Guide's tip: We choose lū‘aus with reserved, cushioned seating close to the stage and an easy, paved approach. No scrambling for a spot.

A waterfall pouring into a pool in the rainforest along the Road to Hāna, Maui
  • Maui
  • Full-day scenic drive
  • Guide's pick

The Road to Hāna

A legendary coastal road of hairpin turns and one-lane bridges, winding through rainforest past waterfalls, black-sand beaches and roadside banana-bread stands. The journey itself is the destination.

Guide's tip: Let someone else drive! We travel in a comfortable small coach with a local driver and choose stops with the shortest walks. If you're prone to motion sickness, take something before you go and sit near the front.

Colorful cinder cones inside Haleakalā crater on Maui, with clouds below the rim
  • Maui
  • Drive to the summit
  • Guide's pick

The road to Haleakalā, 10,023 feet

Haleakalā ("house of the sun") is the massive volcano that forms most of Maui. The paved Haleakalā Highway climbs from near sea level to the summit at 10,023 feet, one of the steepest climbs of any road on Earth, and you stand above the clouds looking into a crater painted in reds and golds.

Guide's tip: It's cold at the top, often near freezing at dawn, so bring a warm jacket. Sunrise requires an advance reservation and a midnight wake-up, to reach the summit by about 4:30 a.m.; many groups prefer a relaxed afternoon or sunset visit. The thin air can be tiring, so travelers with heart or breathing conditions should check with their doctor.

Steam rising from Kīlauea's summit crater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
  • Hawai‘i Island (the Big Island)
  • Inter-island flight
  • Guide's pick

Kīlauea, the active volcano

In Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park you can stand at the rim of Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and see steaming vents, vast lava fields and, during eruptions, a red glow on the horizon after dark.

Guide's tip: The Big Island is a separate island, so this visit adds a short inter-island flight of under an hour. We handle the flights and plan around paved overlooks, and we check the park's daily updates because conditions change with volcanic activity.

Two humpback whale tails rising from the water off the coast of Maui
  • Maui
  • December–April
  • Guide's pick

Maui whale watching (in season)

Every winter, thousands of humpback whales travel from Alaska to Hawai‘i's warm waters to give birth and raise their calves. The calm channel off west Maui is one of the best places in the world to see them breach, slap their tails and even sing.

Guide's tip: Peak season is January through March. We book larger, stable boats with shade, seating and restrooms, and some carry underwater microphones so you can hear the whales' songs.

A glass-bottom boat cruising on calm blue water
  • O‘ahu & Maui
  • Stay dry, stay seated
  • Guide's pick

Glass-bottom boat cruise

See coral, colorful reef fish and often green sea turtles through large glass viewing panels, without ever getting wet. A relaxing way to discover the world beneath the waves.

Guide's tip: Morning cruises have the calmest water and clearest views. It's a perfect choice for travelers who don't swim or snorkel.

A white passenger submarine on the surface off Waikīkī, with Honolulu's skyline behind
  • O‘ahu (Waikīkī)
  • Steep boarding stairs
  • Guide's pick

Submarine tour

Dive more than 100 feet below the surface in a real passenger submarine, with big viewing windows onto reefs, shipwrecks, turtles and schools of tropical fish. It's a unique experience few people ever try.

Guide's tip: Boarding means climbing down a short, steep ladder-style stairway inside the hatch, and the cabin is snug. If that's not for you, the glass-bottom boat gives you the reef with none of the climbing.

A helicopter flying past waterfalls tumbling down a green sea cliff
  • Kaua‘i, Maui & the Big Island
  • For the adventurous
  • Guide's pick

Helicopter tour

If you're adventurous, this one is for you! Soar over hidden waterfalls, sea cliffs and valleys you simply cannot reach any other way. Many travelers call it the highlight of their lives.

Guide's tip, with a caveat: if you don't care for flying, skip it with no regrets. There are plenty of wonderful options on the ground and on the water. Operators assign seats by weight for balance, and getting in and out involves a step up.

More places we love

Easy, beautiful and worth the trip

Nā Pali Coast cliffs on Kaua‘i
  • Kaua‘i
  • By boat

Nā Pali Coast

Thousand-foot green cliffs with no roads. See them on a calm-water catamaran with shade and seating.

Waimea Canyon on Kaua‘i
  • Kaua‘i
  • Roadside lookouts

Waimea Canyon

The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," with main lookouts just steps from parking. Go before noon, before the clouds roll in.

Hanauma Bay on O‘ahu
  • O‘ahu
  • Tram to the beach

Hanauma Bay

A calm, crater-sheltered bay full of tropical fish. Entry is by reservation, and we handle it.

Diamond Head crater beside Waikīkī
  • O‘ahu

Diamond Head & Waikīkī

Honolulu's landmark crater above famous beaches. Enjoy it from the coastal drive; the summit trail is steep.

Windward O‘ahu beach with turquoise water
  • O‘ahu
  • Gentle beaches

The windward beaches

Soft sand and shallow water at Lanikai and Kailua: postcard Hawai‘i without the crowds.

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